Traore the enigma

[Parkins left foot]

Not entirely sure on the article's accuracy actually, i definitely remember more than one completed pass in to the box if you include crosses (which I think you would).

Still the same for me - a great Plan B to have, but unless we can encourage a better team ethic only that.

He has had a few decent passes across, but nowhere near enough for a PL player who cost £18m - most of the time that I have seen him he seems bereft of any thought process as to what he is supposed to do

 

[Tredman]

He has had a few decent passes across, but nowhere near enough for a PL player who cost £18m - most of the time that I have seen him he seems bereft of any thought process as to what he is supposed to do

That's the annoying part - he's actually got a good pass and cross on him, and he can clearly get the ball forward. It's just the bit in-between.

 

[Deutsch Wolf]

It never all knits together. I mean he got the assist against Newcastle and very welcome it was too (wasn't actually a very good cross, but we'll thank Count Dubravka for his part in it). But he spent so much time just standing still on the halfway line and we needed a goal, maddening to watch.

He managed to seriously annoy Nuno in his few seconds on the pitch on Sunday too...

I don't see us moving away from 3-5-2 any time soon and he is extremely unlikely to be of any use to us in that system.

 

[Tredman]

He's a good option to come off the bench when we need to change things and find any possible way of getting a goal, but that's it, don't think it will ever be anything else for us - unless Nuno really does a Coady-esque transformation in him.

He usually gets double-marked too, so that does help.

 

[Alan]

I still think his crossing is typically into good areas, just that he hasn't often played with other forwards who are likely to get onto them. Which you could say is still on him for playing those crosses when it's Costa who is nearest to them, but equally I don't think you can ask a great deal more of him.

 

[Parkins left foot]

Would probably benefit from regular starts, but, with the formation that's working for us now, he doesn't really fit so don't see him getting any more than sub appearances later on.

This is PL football and we don't have the luxury of allowing a player to learn how to play here in the actual games - he has to be ready when he comes on. Traore isn't.

 

[PuntsWolf]

The article sums its up well. He breezes past people but then thats it. Most of the time it isn’t his fault, he gets hacked down on the half way line. But this is no use to us either as the opposition just resets deep.

The thing I still can’t get my head round is how he makes no off the balls tuns. Jiminez and Jota (or And forward player) make runs into the channels or over the top. He’s literally faster than everyone but never does this. Why!?

 

[Tredman]

This is PL football and we don't have the luxury of allowing a player to learn how to play here in the actual games - he has to be ready when he comes on. Traore isn't.

Not so sure about that, MGW, Vinagre and others will need (and are) to learn how to play. And others will in the future. Thing is with Traore if we can improve his end product we've potentially got on of the most dangerous players in England.

 

[Paddingtonwolf]

But the issue there is that he hasn't exactly just fallen out of an academy. Is he actually able to learn what is needed?

Basically we are aping a discussion on Villa Talk from when he was there. Nothing has changed.

 

[Tredman]

We do have slightly better coaches than them tbf.

 

[Paddingtonwolf]

Barcelona did too.

 

[Langers]

I've seen no improvement at all, he's not good enough for where we want to be. I'd get rid - we've got a superb record with signings since Nuno took charge, but no-one can expect a 100% success rate.

 

[Wilf Wolf]

He is an expensive luxury we don’t really need. Doesn’t fit into the new formation so I can never see he starting. If we’re behind he comes on against defences sitting deep and though he can beat a player invariably his starting point is near the half way line and he poses little real threat. If we’re ahead he can come on and play against stretched defences but in such circumstances a player who is better at retaining the ball is actually far more effective. That leaves coming on with scores level where he can offer something a bit different but I’m sure we could find better for the money we would get back from selling him. I think he will be gone by August.

 

[Tredman]

I don't disagree with much of that, but you do realise in our last league game he literally came on when we were losing and created the equaliser...?

 

[AndyWolves]

If he could just learn to run in behind without the ball that would be a start

 

[Johnny75]

I don't disagree with much of that, but you do realise in our last league game he literally came on when we were losing and created the equaliser...?

If we had a proper replacement for Raul I think we'd have won. Raul had a bit of a shocker in front of goal and a different striker would have made a difference. It showed up a weakness in our squad as it is.

 

[Tredman]

If we had a proper replacement for Raul I think we'd have won. Raul had a bit of a shocker in front of goal and a different striker would have made a difference. It showed up a weakness in our squad as it is.

That is our biggest problem atm, we can cope with almost anyone else having an off day (Coady aside perhaps, but he doesn't seem to have many/any), but Raul is unique in out team. Jota is close maybe, but he is still more of a second forward / IF. Should've been Rafa Mir, but that is not to be.

 

[Lupo]

Think his last couple of games have shown improvement particularly yesterday though he was better in the first half than the second when he moved up front. When he gets the ball and starts running he is capable of brilliance.

He can be awful at times and a circus act but I've been saying for some time that I am excited when I see him about to come on, you never know what you're going to get but can be brilliant at times.

Some of his runs yesterday, particularly in the first half were excellent. His shooting remains woeful!

 

[Norman Deeley]

I've always been a supporter of Traore, so I was obviously pleased to see yesterday's performance. But you have to factor in that it was only Cardiff. Then again it was only Huddersfield and why Nuno brought Costa on instead of Traore is one of the mysteries of the ages...

 

[Deleted Cyber]

If we had a proper replacement for Raul I think we'd have won. Raul had a bit of a shocker in front of goal and a different striker would have made a difference. It showed up a weakness in our squad as it is.

I agree. Its who we should go for as back up. See the summer thread. I like Zahore. I think there could be a real gem there.